Consider This... Citizens Punished for Doing their Job

We all know the most important issue in Lubbock is water. Without it, we can't live. So I was never critical of city hall last year when told water rates would go up 16 percent. But last week, when I heard that number had jumped to 46 percent, I was just plain baffled. And that confusion turned to anger when I heard why!

First, citizens didn't use enough water. Wait a minute, weren't we asked to conserve? Now we're being punished for it.

Second, city staff ignored those warning signs for months and completely dropped the ball. Poor planning, lost e-mails, bad communication, no communication. It seems to me the staff in charge of water rates has no respect for the citizens that pay their big salaries. Either that or they just don't care.

So consider this, unlike most city staff, I'm not getting a raise this year, and neither are a lot of others. And yet we are just supposed to accept these mistakes and pony up? Well, I think someone should be held accountable. And I can't blame the elected officials on this one, they were just as surprised as the citizens a couple of weeks ago.

City staff should have kept their eye on the ball and prepared better. Maybe if it were their money they were managing, things would be different. But it's not, it belongs to the citizens and I don't think we're going to accept "I'm sorry" this time - because we're the ones that will be paying for it for years to come.

Like I said, I don't mind paying more for water, but this kind of a process is just plain irresponsible.

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